Time’s book critic, Lev Grossman (also the author of The Magician and The Magician King, which has been called “Harry Potter for grownups”) may be the only reviewer who is a fan of J.K. Rowling’s new book, The Casual Vacancy, released today.

It’s a big, ambitious, brilliant, profane, funny, deeply upsetting and magnificently eloquent novel of contemporary England, rich with literary intelligence and entirely bereft of bullshit, and if it weren’t for Rowling’s stringent security measures it would or at least should have contended for the Booker Prize.

The AP review, syndicated in many local newspapers, is one of the few that is mostly positive  — “what could have been an unreadable story becomes something else in Rowling’s hands, thanks to her gift of being able to make her characters complex and really, just human.”

The majority of  critics, however,  are not in love with it:

The New York Times brings out its big gun, Michiko Kakutani, to weigh its merits. Characteristically, she doesn’t like it — “The reader can only hope [Rowling] doesn’t try to flesh out the Muggle world of Pagford in any further volumes, but instead moves on to something more compelling and deeply felt in the future.”

The L.A. Times critic, David Ulin, dislikes everything about the book, from the male characters (“One of the particular pathologies of the novel is that nearly every adult male, with the exception of the sainted Barry, is brutal or weak”) to the plot (“unsatisfying” and “convoluted”) to its exploration of issues (that “requires nuance, which is what The Casual Vacancy lacks”).

Entertainment Weekly gives it an unimpressive B-  — “When the novel finally arrives at its predictable and heavy-handed ending, what started as a lively comedy of manners has turned into an overwrought slog.”

The New York Daily News’ review begins,”J .K. Rowling has gone from Potter to potty-mouth,” and then damns it with faint praise — it “isn’t dreadful. It’s just dull.”

The UK’s Guardian is a bit more positive — “The Casual Vacancy is no masterpiece, but it’s not bad at all: intelligent, workmanlike, and often funny. I could imagine it doing well without any association to the Rowling brand … The fanbase may find it a bit sour, as it lacks the Harry Potter books’ warmth and charm; all the characters are fairly horrible or suicidally miserable or dead. But the worst you could say about it, really, is that it doesn’t deserve the media frenzy surrounding it. And who nowadays thinks that merit and publicity have anything do with each other?”

What ultimately matters is the response from general readers, who have made it #1 on Amazon in pre-sales. As to what they think of the book, the majority of the Amazon “reviews” are actually complaints about the Kindle prices; the single review gives the book 5 of 5 possible stars. No reviews have appeared on GoodReads yet.

Speculation continues on how many copies J.K. Rowling’s first adult title, The Casual Vacancy, (Hachette/Little, Brown; Hachette Audio; Hachette Large Print) will sell after it releases tomorrow.

The Wall Street Journal weighs in today, saying, the author’s “Harry Potter magic will be challenged in one particularly Hogwartzian way: Can she disappear the book’s entire U.S print run of two million copies?” That should not be a problem, however, since as they note, “…the final Harry Potter novel sold 11.5 million copies in its first 10 days on sale in the U.S. in 2007.”

Early this morning, the book rose to #1 on Amazon’s sales rankings (from #3 yesterday). It is #5 on the BarnesAndNoble.com rankings. Library holds are still relatively light compared to Fifty Shades of Grey or Gone Girl and have not increased significantly since yesterday.

An interview with Rowling will be featured on Nightline tonight; a portion of that interview was aired on Good Morning America today. Tomorrow she will read from the book on GMA.

Don’t weed those copies just yet. Reports of possible leads for Steven Spielberg’s Robopocalypse, based on last year’s novel by Daniel H. Wilson (RH/Doubleday; BOT), indicate that the movie is on track for a planned release date of April 25, 2014.

Anne Hathaway and Chris Hemsworth are in talks to star, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Written as an oral history of a robot uprising against humans, the book was heavily promoted at BEA in 2011 and landed on the NYT best seller list at #13 for one week. It won a 2012 Alex Award and has been used in STEM programs, gaining it the distinction of an attempted ban, due to its use of certain colorful language.

A second trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, emerged online last week. According to those who track such things, it offers “the most detailed glimpse yet at Peter Jackson’s return to the world he created in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.”

The movie, which releases this Dec. 14, will be followed by two others in the series:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug — Dec. 13, 2013

The Hobbit: There And Back Again — July 18, 2014

In addition to the trade paperback tie-in edition of the novel, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt will release several related titles, including a behind-the-scenes book.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide Brian Sibley Retail Price: $14.95 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Mariner Books – (2012-11-06) ISBN / EAN: 054789855X / 9780547898551

The trailer for Ang Lee’s 3-D adaptation of Yann Martel’s Booker Award winning novel, Life of  Pi, has just been released online. The movie opens on Nov. 21.

Official movie site: LifeOfPiMovie.com

In addition to a trade paperback movie tie-in and the audio CD (HighBridge), there will also be a behind-the-scenes book:

The Making of Life of Pi: A Film, a Journey Jean-Christophe Castelli Retail Price: $35.00 Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Harper Design – (2012-10-30) ISBN / EAN: 0062114131 / 9780062114136

As multiple media outlets speculate on whether J.K. Rowling’s first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy (Hachette/Little, Brown; Hachette Audio; Hachette Large Print) releasing on Thursday, will be as big a hit as her Harry Potter franchise, library holds indicate that it will not. Most libraries have ordered heavily, but not as heavily as they would an HP title, with holds ratios at 3:1 or less.

In Britain, it’s being called “one of the biggest releases of the 21st century,” but not one that will top the final Harry Potter title, which sold 2.5 million in its first 24 hours in the UK alone (the Telegraph).

Currently, it is #3 on Amazon’s US sales rankings, below the account of the killing of Osama bin Laden, No Easy Day, and Rick Riordan’s latest in his middle grade Heroes of Olympus series.

The book is under heavy embargo, but the New Yorker’s Ian Parker was given an early look, for his profile of Rowling in this week’s issue. His assessment is lukewarm:

…whereas Rowling’s shepherding of readers was, in the Harry Potter series, an essential asset, in The Casual Vacancy her firm hand can feel constraining. She leaves little space for the peripheral or the ambiguous; hidden secrets are labelled as hidden secrets, and events are easy to predict. We seem to watch people move around [the town of] Pagford as if they were on Harry’s magical parchment map of Hogwarts.

If you don’t have time to read the full 9,000-word-plus profile, GalleyCat gives a handy synopsis of what it reveals about the book’s plot, along with the necessary spoiler alert.

Rowling also tells Parker that she is working on two books “for slightly younger children” than her Harry Potter readers as well as another one for adults.

Believe it or not, J.K. Rowling‘s first novel for adults, The Casual Vacancy, is not the only book going on sale next week, though it will surely get a lion’s share of media attention. The other lion of the week is rocker Neil Young, who delivers his first memoir. Other noteworthy nonfiction includes a compilation of President John F. Kennedy’s audio tapes and transcripts, put together by the John F. Kennedy Library and historian Ted Widmer. In adult fiction, there’s a debut novel from popular memoirist J.R. Moehringer, and a BEA Buzz panel pick by Antoine Wilson. Usual suspects include Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall and Deepak Chopra – and in YA fiction, there’s a mystery from adult author Francine Prose.

Major Comeback

EMBARGOED: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (Little Brown; Hachette Audio) comes with a big question: does J.K. Rowling’s first book for adults have a fair chance at success, given the wildly outsized expectations that come with being the author of the Harry Potter series? Her first and only U.S. interview about the book will be on September 26, on ABC’s Good Morning America (7:00-9:00 AM), World News with Diane Sawyer (6:30 PM), and Nightline (11:35 PM-12:00 AM), and will re-air on Good Morning America on September 27.

Watch List

Sutton by J.R. Moehringer (Hyperion; Hyperion Audio; Thorndike Large Print) is a debut novel about the bank robber and folk hero Willie “The Actor” Sutton, by the author of the popular memoir The Tender Bar. It begins in 1969, after Sutton’s release from Attica prison at age 68, as he looks back on stealing more than $2 million over 40 years (often in costume) and his three impressive prison breaks. Entertainment Weekly‘s review begins, “There’s a quality to J.R. Moehringer’s writing that makes you feel you aren’t stepping into a book so much as a dimly lit but welcoming bar…He brings a raconteur’s grace and rhythm to his first novel.” The reviewer admits that the ending is unsatisfying, “But isn’t closing time always a bit of a letdown when you don’t want an entertaining night to end?”

Panorama City by Antoine Wilson (HMH; Blackstone Audio) was a BEA Editors Buzz Panel pick about a self-described “slow-learner” recovering from a traumatic accident, who composes a letter about what it takes to be “a man of the world” to his unborn son and pregnant wife. Booklist says, “Readers who enjoy Mark Haddon and Greg Olear will appreciate Wilson’s authorial voice, which blends Oppen’s good-natured naiveté and humorous asides with incisive cynicism.”

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck (S&S/Atria) is a fictional biography of the beloved Mexican painter’s life, chronic illness and many loves, based on Kahlo’s unpublished notebooks, including actual recipes tied to her most important moments and relationships. Kirkus says, “despite the repetitiousness and pretentious hyperbola that drags on this novel, Kahlo remains a rich character and inevitably irresistible.”

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova (S&S/Gallery; S&S Audio; Thorndike Large Print) follows two grieving mothers who meet by chance in Nantucket, and help each other heal and move on. Kirkus says, “There’s a point in the narrative where one of the characters becomes so engrossed in reading a book that she loses track of time. Readers of Genova’s latest excellent offering might very well find the same happening to them.”

Usual Suspects

Brink of Chaos by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall (Zondervan; Zondervan Audio; Thorndike Large Print) is the third installment in The End series of political apocalyptic thrillers.

God: A Story of Revelation by Deepak Chopra (HarperOne) is a “teaching novel” by the popular author of Jesus and Buddha, that aims for a better understanding of God by profiling 10 historical figures: Job, Socrates, St. Paul, Shankara, Rumi, Julian of Norwich, Giordano Bruno, Anne Hutchinson, Baal Shem Tov and Rabindranath Tagore. Kirkus says, “Of particular interest are the humorous, humble Baal Shem, the brilliant, witty Shankara and the visionary Julian, a man Chopra calls ‘the most touching figure in this book’.”

Young Adult

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by Maxine Paetro  and James Patterson (Hachette/Little, Brown; Hachette Audio) begins a new teen mystery series from the team behind the Women’s Murder Club series for adults. PW is not impressed: “The intriguing setup loses cohesion… For writers with their crime-writing experience, Patterson and Paetro show little interest in common sense, motivation, or believable storytelling.”

The Turning by Francine Prose (Harper Teen) is the story of a teen who takes on a spooky summer job caring for two orphans on a remote island, inspired by Henry James’s Turn of the Screw. PW says, “Remaining true to the ambiguous nature of the original, Prose (Touch) masterfully builds suspense. Like Adele Griffin’s Tighter (2011), this spin on the classic tale is an enticing blend of gothic elements and psychological complexities.”

The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray) is the story of a 15 year-old whose parents take away his role-playing game guides and send him to camp to get socialized by the author of It’s a Funny Story. Kirkus says, ” Though the world building is thin at times, there are some moments of genuine pathos and terror, with the final climactic fight scene leaving plenty of room for sequels. Great geeky fun.”

Nonfiction

Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy, selected and with introduction by Ted Widmer, foreword by Caroline Kennedy (Hyperion) makes available for the first time selections from the 256 hours of JFK’s presidential conversations that were taped on hidden recording systems in the Oval Office and in the Cabinet Room. It includes two 75-minute CDs and covers decisions related to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race, Vietnam, and the arms race, compiled by John F. Kennedy Library and historian Widmer.

Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young (Penguin/Blue Rider; Penguin Audiobooks) is  a memoir by the iconic rocker, whose career spans 50 years, from playing with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, & Nash to Crazy Horse and becoming the “godfather of grunge.”

One Last Strike: Fifty Years in Baseball, Ten and a Half Games Back, and One Final Championship Season by Tony La Russa (Harper/ Morrow; HarperLuxe) is the story of the St. Louis Cardinals unusual end-of-season run and victory in the 2011 World Series, by their manager.

The Chew: Food. Life. Fun. by The Chew with contributions from Mario Batali, Gordon Elliott, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz and Michael Symon (Hyperion) is a companion cookbook to The Chew, a daytime show on ABC-TV.

Safari: A Photicular Book by Dan Kainen, text by Carol Kaufmann (Workman) recreates a Kenyan safari featuring eight animals portrayed with a new technology that resembles a 3-D movie on the page, in the next leap after the publisher’s best selling Gallop.

Movie Tie-in

Killing Them Softly (Cogan’s Trade Movie Tie-In Edition) by George V. Higgins (RH/Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) ties in to the movie starring Brad Pitt from the Weinstein Company, which was recently rescheduled to the end of November, to move it into consideration for an Oscar. (Deadline, 9/11/12)

The trailer for the adaptation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s best selling YA title, Beautiful Creatures, has just arrived online. The movie doesn’t debut until February, but the Hollywood Reporter has been speculating since March that it will be the next Hunger Games.

How about Emma Thompson’s Southern accent?

The movie site Collider offers stills from the set.

Official Movie Site: BeautifulCreaturesMovie.com

As they did for the Twilight series, Little, Brown YR is publishing an “official illustrated movie companion” as well as trade paperback and mass market tie-ins.

A sequel to the surprise hit, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is now scheduled for publication on June 11, 2013. It is currently being called simply, the Untitled Miss Peregrine Sequel by Ransom Riggs,(9781594746123, 1594746125; $17.99; Quirk Books).

There’s been no news about the film version, however. In December, it was reported that Tim Burton was circling the project, but there’s been no information on whether he committed to it.

In a season choked with books by big name authors, it’s difficult to break through at all, let alone achieve a hit, but The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg, (Hachette/Grand Central, 10/23), the author’s third novel, has been called the “sleeper hit of the fall.” You can judge for yourself; e-galleys are available via NetGalley.

Hook: About a dysfunctional Jewish family in the Chicago suburbs, it’s been called  the “Jewish The Corrections.”

Cover Blurb: is by Franzen himself; “The Middlesteins had me from its very first pages, but it wasn’t until is final pages that I fully appreciated the range of Attenberg’s sympathy and the artistry of her storytelling.” Check out the distinctive cover (click on the image to enlarge it), which makes sly reference to one of the main character’s obsession with food.

Early Picks: On People‘s list of ten Hot Fall Titles and described as “The sleeper hit of the fall” on CBS This Morning‘s fall book roundup (9/17).

Starred Prepub Reviews: Booklist, Kirkus and PW all starred it.

Librarian interest: one of the picks at the BEA Librarians Shout ‘n’ Share, it has also been recommended on EarlyWord‘s GalleyChat.

Holds: Light in most areas, but it’s early.

Close on the heels of the announcement that Stephen King’s Dr. Sleep will be published on September 24, next year, comes the reveal of the cover art for another new King title, Joyland on the Entertainment Weekly Web site.

The publisher, Hard Case Crime is known for bringing crime novels from the ’40’s and ’50’s back to print in appropriately retro covers. They also publish a line of original titles (including an earlier title by King, Colorado Kid, 2005).

Dr. Sleep, (S&S/Scribner) the sequel to The Shining, was originally set for release on Jan. 15. A new date of Sept. 24 was announced yesterday on King’s web site. We have contacted the publisher and are awaiting information on the new ISBN.

The subtitle of Pattie Mallette’s memoir, Nowhere But Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom (Baker Books) makes her celebrity status clear. Her early years were not easy, however. She suffered sexual abuse and turned to drugs and alcohol to try to heal the pain. At 17, she became pregnant and refused an abortion. She named her son Justin. His last name, Bieber, came from his father.

The author appeared on the Today Show this morning and the book is being covered by dozens of news sources, including the L.A. Times, USA Today and the Huffington Post.

It was not reviewed pre-pub, so not many libraries own it. The libraries that do are showing surprisingly few holds, however. It’s currently at #286 on Amazon’s sales rankings.

Salman Rushdie was interviewed on the Daily Show last night by Jon Stewart who calls Rushdie’s memoir, Joseph Anton (Random House; Random House Audio),”an incredible story.”

Emma Watson and her co-stars from the film version of The Perks of Being A Wallflower presented an exclusive clip from the movie on MTV’s First Look last night, followed by a 30 min interview.

Six additional clips are available here.

Below is the most recent trailer:

The movie opens in NYC and LA on Friday and expands to more theaters the following week.

The actors all attest to their love for the book. Since the film’s director is also the book’s author, we would expect it to be faithful to the original (read a comparison here). Clearly, others want to be prepared to do their own analyses; libraries are showing heavy holds on both the original and the movie tie-in version.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen Chbosky Retail Price: $14.00 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: MTV Books – (2012-08-14) ISBN / EAN: 1451696191 / 9781451696196